Editing Lycia (section)

====Formation====

The Lycian League (''Lykiakon systema'' in Strabo's Greek transliterated, a "standing together") is first known from two inscriptions of the early 2nd century BC in which it honors two citizens.<ref>{{harvnb|Bryce|Zahle|1986|p=102}}.</ref> Bryce hypothesizes that it was formed as an agent to convince Rome to rescind the annexation of Lycia to [[Rhodes]]. It is not known for certain whether it was formed before or after Lycia was removed from Rhodian control. According to [[Livy]], the consul [[Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus]] put Lycia under Rhodian control in 190 BC. He wrote that a Lycian embassy complained about the cruel tyranny of the Rhodians and that when they were under king [[Antiochus III the Great]] they had been in liberty in comparison. It was slavery, rather that just political oppression: "they, their wives and children were the victims of violence; their oppressors vented their rage on their persons and their backs, their good name was besmirched and dishonoured, their condition rendered detestable in order that their tyrants might openly assert a legal right over them and reduce them to the status of slaves bought with money.. the senate gave them a letter to and to the Rhodians that ...it was not the pleasure of the senate that either the Lycians or any other men born free should be handed over as slaves to the Rhodians or any one else. The Lycians possessed the same rights under the suzerainty and protection of Rhodes that friendly states possessed under the suzerainty of Rome."<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0167%3Abook%3D41%3Achapter%3D6| title = Livy, The History of Rome, 41.6.8–12}}</ref>

[[Polybius]] wrote that the Romans sent envoys to Rhodes to say that "the Lycians had not been handed over to Rhodes as a gift, but to be treated like friends and allies."<ref>{{cite web| url = https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Polybius/25*.html| title = Polybius, The Histories, 25.3}}</ref> The Rhodians claimed that king Eumenes of Pergamon had stirred up the Lycians against them.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0167%3Abook%3D42%3Achapter%3D14| title = Livy, The History of Rome, 42.14.8}}</ref> In 169 BC, during the Third Macedonian War, the relationship between Rome and Rhodes became strained and the Roman senate issued a decree which gave the Carians and the Lycians their freedom.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0168%3Abook%3D44%3Achapter%3D40| title = Livy, The History of Rome, 44.15.1}}</ref> Polybius recorded a decree “freeing” the Carians and Lycians in 168–7 BC.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Polybius/30*.html| title = Polybius, The Histories, 30.5.12}}</ref>

Strabo wrote that there were twenty-three cities which came together for a general assembly and had a share in its votes "after choosing whatever city they approve of". The last statement is unclear. The largest cities had three votes, the medium-sized ones two, and the rest one. He noted that the League did not have freedom over matters of war and peace: "Formerly they deliberated about war and peace, and alliances, but this is not now permitted, as these things are under the control of the Romans. It is only done by their consent, or when it may be for their own advantage." However, they had the freedom to choose a [[Lyciarch]] as the head of the league and to designate general courts. He also noted "since they lived under such a good government, they remained ever free under the Romans, thus retaining their ancestral usages [i.e ancestral laws and customs]."<ref name="14.3.3">{{cite web| url = https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/14C*.html| title = Strabo, Geographia, 14.3.3}}</ref>